Improvement in magazine fire-arms



J. L. KIRK.

Magazjne F ife-Arm.

Patented June 20, I87].

Wimmw: @umtnx.

NF'EYERS, FMOTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D 64 Jnrrnn STATES JOHN L. KIRK, OF MATTOON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MA GAZINE FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,066, dated J nns '20, 1871.

\ To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. KIRK, of Mattoon, in the county of Coles and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and'exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same,

- referencebein g had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of firearms which carrya magazine of ammunition in a cylinder composed of a cluster of barrels or tubes soldered or otherwise secured together; and the invention consists in the arrangement of certain devices, which are-hereinafter fully described, in connection with others, forming the perfect or complete weapon, and are specifically stated in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a firearm constructed according to my invention. 'Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is an end view of the. cylinder; Fig.4,is avertical cross-section taken on the line a m of Fig. 1'.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. p

A is the magazine-cylinder, consisting of a cluster of tubes A, (three or more,) soldered together, as represented in Fig. 4, and made to revolve around the central pivot-rod B. This rod passes through a central tube, (3, connected with the annular tier of magazine-tubes A. On the forward-end plate of this inner tube ratchet-teeth are cut, as seen at E, by means of which'the cylinder isrevolved. F is the hammer. G is the pawlattached to the hammer, which en gages with the ratchet-teeth,

and when the-hammer is drawn backin the act of cooking the piece the magazine-cylinder is revolved so as to bring a cartridge-tube opposite and in line with the barrel, as seen in Fig. 1. The cartridge-tubes fit into the cylindertubes A. Each cartridge-tube contains anumber. of cartridges of the metallic-shell kind, and is withdrawn for refilling from the breech of the gun through the orificeH. Each cartrid ge-tube has a cap, I, which turns on a pivot, and is confined by abayonet-fastening, as seen in Fig. 2. The spiral spring J reacts against thiscap for forcing the cartridges from the tube. K is the barrel, which is pivoted to the stock L, as seen atm, .so that the nozzle can be depressed and the breech end elevated for removing the shell of the exploded cartridge. 1 is a slide on the side of the barrel, witha short arm projecting out laterally from it. 0 is a spring-catch attached to the stock. When the breech of the barrel is brought down the arm engages with the hook or catch 0, which holds the barrel in place. When the piecehas been discharged the rear portion of the slide a (which-is let into and is flush with the end of the barrel) is inside of the flange of the cartridge. The shell of the latter is readily withdrawn by disengaging the arm from the springcatch and drawing back the slide. P is the breech-plate, which works vertically between the rear end of the barrel and the short stationary tube R. This tube B holds a single cartridge constantly and delivers it into the barrel, the cartridge being pressed forwardby the spring J. The breech-plate P is drawn down by the finger applied to the thumb-piece p as the hammer is drawn back, so that the cartridge may be forced fiom the tube B into the barrel. As the finger leaves the breechplate the latter is thrown up by the spring S, to receive the recoil as the cartridge is exploded. T is the lock-trigger.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The slide a and spring-catch O,arranged, as shown and described, to operate as and for the purpose specified.

. 2. The breech-plate P p and spring S, arranged, as shown and described, to operate as and for the purpose specified.

JOHN L. KIRK.

Witnesses:

JOHN WEEKS, 'JOHN 1?. SMITH. 

